Vieux Pont (Old Bridge)

The Vieux Pont is the old stone bridge of Uzès, a small town in the Gard department that stands on a limestone plateau between the Cévennes and the plain of Nîmes. Uzès is known for its pale stone buildings, its arcaded squares and the Duché, the castle-palace of the dukes of Uzès, whose title is the oldest dukedom in France. The town sits above a green valley, and the bridge is one of the places that shows how the old centre connects with the landscape around it.

Bridges of this kind belong to the story of the Languedoc. In the Middle Ages, roads linked the towns of the south with markets, pilgrimage routes and ports, and a stone bridge allowed carts and travellers to cross the streams that run through the valleys, even when the water was high after autumn storms. The Vieux Pont is built of local stone in a series of arches, a form that has stood the test of time because the arches carry the weight to the piers and let floodwater pass. Its solid, plain look reflects its purpose, and the pale limestone is the same as that used in the town's houses and walls. Just how old the structure is in its present form is a question for local historians, as repairs and rebuilding have taken place over the centuries, so the bridge may hold work from several periods.

For a visitor, the bridge is a modest but pleasant stop. It can be crossed on foot, and the view of the stone arches and the water below makes a good subject for photographs, especially in the morning and late afternoon when the light is soft. The surroundings are quiet, with trees, small gardens and old walls. It is a good place to pause on a walk around the town, away from the busier squares.

Uzès itself is compact and easy to explore on foot. The Place aux Herbes, an arcaded square lined with cafés and plane trees, is the centre of social life, and its market on Wednesdays and Saturdays draws people from across the region. The Cathédrale Saint-Théodorit, with its round Fenestrelle tower, stands a few minutes' walk away, and the Musée d'Art et d'Histoire d'Uzès is in the old town. The Pont du Gard, the great Roman aqueduct bridge, is about twenty kilometres away, and the aqueduct that crosses it began at springs near Uzès, which gives the area a link with the Roman engineers.

No ticket is needed, and a visit can be fitted into a short walk. The bridge suits those who enjoy old stonework, quiet corners and the atmosphere of a small southern French town.